The Right Choices
by Inkcrafter
Summary: After the event in the energon mine, Jack begins to wonder if he made the right decision, letting Megatron live. Unable to decide, he turns to Optimus and asks him...Did he make the right choice? Happens after episode 19: "Rock bottom"


Jack waited apprihensively, perched atop one of the metal storage crates, his hand clentching and unclentching in nervousness. He wasn't scared for himself, he knew he might have done the wrong thing, letting Megatron live. He was scared simply because of the fact he might have made one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

Everyone in base was celebrating, enjoying the fact that no one had lost their life in the energon mine. Even Optimus and Ratchet were smiling slightly, happy as well (though Ratchet wasn't exactly thrilled with all of the patch jobs that he'd had to apply to Bulkhead and Arcee.

Jack took one last deep breath to calm himself before finally hopping off the crate and approaching Optimus. The Prime looked down as the raven haired teen stopped at his foot.

"Optimus...Could I...Could I talk to you? Privately?" He asked hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck. Optimus nodded, offering a hand for Jack to climb onto. The Prime then left the room and continued on until he stood on the helicopter pad.

Optimus set Jack down, kneeling to see the teen better.

"What is it that you wish to speak about Jack?"

The teen hesitated for a moment then spoke.

"In the energon mine...I...I used one of the drills, to...y'know, try and find Arcee and Miko and Bulkhead? I drilled away some rock and...and I found Megatron."

Optimus' optics widend slightly in surprise, but kept silent, allowing Jack to continue.

"He...He was trapped, defenseless. He said I could just kill him with the drill...that I could seize the day...That...That you would do it."

Optimus' brow furrowed.

"You killed Megatron? Jackson, that was reckless, and I-"

"I didn't kill him."

Jack shut his eyes tightly, waiting to be lectured, to be yelled at, to be given punishment.

But it never came.

Jack slowly opened his eyes and looked up to see Optimus. His face was composed, but his optics were filled with a mixture of many emotions the teen couldn't even begin to name.

There were a few moments of silence before Optimus broke it.

"You didn't offline him?"

Jack gulped.

"N-no...I was seriously considering it, but then I asked what myself if you'd _really_ kill Megatron...I then came to the conclusion that...That you would never do that."

Jack turned his gaze to the ground.

"But...But was I right? Optimus...Did I make the biggest mistake of my life?"

Optimus was silent once again, staring at the teen. Anyone else, human or even his fellow Autobots, would have killed Megatron without a second thought. But standing before him was a teen, a _youngling_ who had considered his actions, and made the right (in the Prime's opinion) decision.

Jack glanced down, waiting to learn if he had truely made the right desicion.

Optimus then spoke, and his words surprised Jack.

"I am proud of the courage and control you show, even in the face of danger, you still resisted temptation. You are correct, I would not kill Megatron, had I been in your position."

"So...So I'm not in trouble?"

Optimus blinked in surprise and Jack was shocked when the Prime _chuckled_.

"No. In fact, it isn't my place to do such things. I believe that is the job of your mother."

Jack grinned.

"Wow, you actually made a joke." He murmured, laughing slightly as Optimus smiled once again.

The Prime then offered a hand to Jack, allowing the teen to climb up. Optimus then held the Jack at optic level.

"I truely am proud of you, Jack."

The raven male grinned, placing his hand on the Prime's chasis as he met Optimus' gaze.

"Thanks Optimus, it means a lot to hear you say that."

The Prime smiled softly, nodding before he stood.

"I believe it is time to return back into base, before Arcee or your mother begin to worry."

Jack nodded.

"Yeah, my mom does that a lot, doesn't she?"

Optimus raised a single brow, but smiled all the same.


End file.
